Galaxy GT 520 MDT Review

Introduction:

Once you run a multiple monitor configuration with either Eyefinity or Surround technologies it's tough to go back to a single display configuration. Unfortunately, the graphics card needed to drive more than two monitors on the NVIDIA side of the fence has been limited to either the extreme high end (Think GTX 590) or a pair of cards that drive up costs and, in the end, power consumption. Galaxy has put together a series of video cards in their MDT line up (Multi Display Technology) that allows the end user to connect more than two monitors and includes the GT 520 MDT I am currently looking at, as well as cards that range up to the GTX 580 MDT. The GT 520 was released last year in April and is an entry-level GPU that is designed as an upgrade from an integrated graphics processor (IGP). What Galaxy has delivered is a low-cost solution to the problem of running a multiple monitor configuration. No longer is a pair of cards or even a high-end card needed to drive multiple monitors. The Galaxy GT 520 MDT supports connectivity of up to four 1080p DVI monitors in either slit or merged mode for the content creation professional, day trader, or end user looking for more screen real estate. Gaming is not its strong suite, but the GT 520 is suitable for plenty of casual gaming and has all of the features of the Fermi lineup such as PhysX support, DX 11 support, CUDA and more allowing this card to be used in applications that support GPU acceleration. Let's see what this card has to offer for the person looking for an upgrade to that IGP.

Closer Look:

The packaging for the Galaxy GT 520 MDT highlights the most prominent feature of this card on the front panel: the ability to drive a quartet of monitors. Galaxy also points out that the GT 520 MDT is equipped with 1GB of GDDR3 memory and that the card comes with a three year warranty. The back panel extols the virtues of having multiple monitors for gaming and maximizing screen real estate.

Inside the packaging, the Galaxy GT 520 MDT sits in a cardboard enclosure sealed in a static resistant bag. Under the inner shell is the accessory bundle that includes the driver disk, software disk, documentation, and a pair of dual DVI dongles. A quick installation guide is also included.

The Galaxy GT 520 MDT comes with everything that is needed to enjoy the benefits of a multiple monitor configuration without breaking the bank for the GPU.